Delay in commissioning Kommaghatta substation hampers power supply in NPKL

Six months after construction was complete, the lone substation meant to power the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) remains non-operational due to the delay in its official inauguration. This setback is further compounding power woes for thousands of site owners who are struggling to access electricity to build homes in the layout developed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). 

The Kommaghatta 66/11 KV substation, tendered in August 2021 and built at a cost of approximately ₹32 crore, was scheduled to be completed within 13 months. However, nearly four years on, the facility is still not functional. S.M. Kamagari Engineer Pvt. Ltd. was awarded the contract, with work commencing in May 2022. Yet, despite the civil and electrical work being finished, energisation is pending due to procedural delays.

240 MW of electricity

Suryakiran A.S., of the NPKL Forum, speaking to The Hindu said this substation is the only one complete out of the five originally planned to supply power to over 30,000 residential sites in the area. An estimated 240 MW of electricity is required for full occupancy. Each substation was expected to cost between ₹25 to 30 crore, yet none of the others have reached completion, and the supporting electrical network within the layout remains incomplete.

As the infrastructure lies idle, installed cables and components are increasingly vulnerable to theft, further delaying the electrification process. In the absence of a working substation, residents constructing homes are forced to rely on temporary connections from nearby private layouts and villages, he said.

He added that the government wants to inaugurare this substation with pomp on an auspicious day and this is a reason for the delay. 

A senior BDA official said the work on the substation was completed recently and it will be made operational soon. The official admitted that there is a small delay due to procedural issues but not six months.